Pipe laying apparatus



Oct. 27, 1953 F. M. REiSING 2,

. PIPE LAYING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 wmw Oct. 27, 1953 F. M. REISING PIPE LAYING APPARATUS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1946 Oct. 27, 1953 F. M. REISING 2,656,800

PIPE LAYING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m (WQW Patented Oct. 27, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE LAYING APPARATUS Francis M. Reising, Edinburg, Tex.

Application May 2, 1946, Serial No. 666,717

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in a traveling shoring box for use in association with ditching machines of various types.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a shoring box capable of transverse adjustment for use in connection with ditching and laying of pipe, regardless of the size of the ditch or the type of pipe to be laid.

Another object of the invention is to construct an adjustable shoring box having grooving or channeling means for forming a channel for the pipe to be laid medially of the ditch floor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hoist removably mounted at the top of the shoring box to facilitate the handling of pipe.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for the hoist of such character that this mounting will be retained centrally of the shoring box body regardless of the lateral adjustment of the box.

Other features and objects will more fully hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the invention in operative relation to a ditching machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective showing the forward end of the shoring box.

In Figure 1 a conventional ditching machine is illustrated by reference character A, this machine including the ditching head B which forms the ditch or cut generally indicated by reference character C. A cable D connects the ditching machine A with the shoring box, the latter being shown more fully in Figure 2.

The shoring box embodies a pair of spaced rectangular frames each including horizontal side angle members I and connecting vertical angle members 2. The weight of the metal used in forming these frames and the depth of the flanges of the angle members will be a matter determined by the size of the box. Vertical stays or struts 3 may be suitably arranged to reinforce the outer frame structure, this frame structure in instances being subject to external pressure due to caveins from the wall of the ditch. In forming the two spaced frames the joints between the various parts may be secured by riveting or welding, or with bolts in instances where the structure is to be made in knocked-down form. Side sheeting 4 extends between the uprights 2 and substantially close the side walls of the shoring box. In fact, these side walls may be entirely closed and the side sheets 4 may be secured to the frame by rivets, bolts or by welding as desired.

The front end of the shoring box is connected by overlapping plates 6 and 1 and 9 and In, the latter plates 9 and Ill extending between the uprights 2 adjacent the upper end thereof while the lower plates 6 and 1 extend from a point approximately the center of the uprights down to the lower marginal edge as shown in Figure 5. The overlapping plates 6, I, 9 and ID are formed with aligned slots I l and through these slots bolts l2 extend and are secured by nuts [4, more clear- 1y shown in Figure 4. In the disclosure forming a part of this application the connecting plates 6, I, 9, and ID are welded to the corner uprights 2 although other methods of securing these parts together may be found desirable in some instances. The outer lower plate 6 has secured at its lower outer face the shovel l5, this shovel including the flat shank l6 and the rounded plow face [1, the latter being used for fine grading of the surface area in which the pipe sections are to be laid, as will be more clearly hereinafter described. The shovel I5 is secured by bolts ill or other suitable means and is adjustable by means of slots so that this shovel may be retained centrally of the assembly and the pipe channel properly positioned, in the event the sides of the structures are relatively adjusted. A connecting plate or bar 20 extends between the front uprights 2 and this bar 20 may be shifted vertically with respect to these uprights by use of the bolts 2| cooperating with the openings 22 in the channels 2. In this manner the angle of drag from the power shovel can be varied in order to keep the structure in a horizontal plane in its movement following the digger head B. It will be noted that the connecting cable D between the digger A and the shoring box is thus readily shifted and the stress properly distributed by suitable manipulation of the parts. The eyelet 23 of the cross bar 20 forms the connection with the cable D and the cable may have a hook or other separable fastener to facilitate adjustments.

The rear end of the shoring box is connected adjacent the bottom edges by the plates 24 and 25, while the upper portion of the rear end of this structure is connected by the adjustable plates 26 and 21. These plates may be of any width and are connected with the bolt II and slot connections l2, similar to the bolt and slot connections used at the front of the structure and as shown in Figure 4.

The top of the shoring box includes the inwardly projecting plates 30 and 3| connected to the horizontal flanges of the top angle bars I, by welding, rivets, or otherwise and these inwardly projecting horizontalfplates 3U and- 3 hare-formed with alignedslbts 32? air spaced intervals for use in connecting thereto the intermediate plate 33. The plate 33 overlies, along its longitudinal marginal edges, the slotted portions of the;plates,3,0,

and 3| and the bolts 34 carried by the plate 33 extend through the slot 32 and clamp the parts together in any desirable adjustableposition corresponding to the adjustment of the end con nections heretofore described.

Supported upon the plate 33 is the supporting frame 35 providing apedestalstructure including thepedestal cap 36 upon; which is rotatably, mounted the plate 3-! of the-hist'frame38; The hoist frame 38ais of; conventional form. and in,- cludes'the hoist arm 39- with suitable pulley.- 40 for thecable M. The-cable is provided with; a pipe hook 42-at its-free end, while-the other end of the cable is-controlledby the-hoistingmechae nism:v 43 which may, be: manually operated, and providediwith the usual-paw-l and ratchet control. This hoiststructureis to facilitate the;handlingg and movement; of the pipe from the sidej ofthe ditchinto the shoring; box where it is manually, laid-in position in the channel-formed-by-the plow l as is more fully hereinafter described. Along the upper marginaledgeeof the shoring box alplurality-of projections-:43 are arranged in spaced-relation. to provide a; rack fon receiving and;; retainingpipe sections as shown,at,41-. f

In useandoperation of-a shoringzbox of the 4 type above described; it is of: paramount importance that:the structure operate-to'rformza fine ished channel in a ditch at a predetermined level with respect to the earths surface and I have provided means for accomplishing this purpose including a main gauge supporting frame having depending arm 5| for supporting the balanced transverse rod '51 carrying the contact member 5|". Associated movement in relation to a shifted cable 52 is thus provided at a predetermined level.

Ilclaimz" In a shoring box a mind spaced side frame members including vertical and horizontal reinforcing elements, end wall plates adjustably connecting .the ends of said frame members, means for securing the end portions of said plates t'ogetheninadjusted position, a hoist platform supnortedat the top of said frame structure, means for maintaining the platform centrally between the side frames of the structure during adjustment of the frame members including inwardlyprojectingplates lying-in a common plane, said; plates being; formed-i with elongated slots; and fastening means carried by 'saidplatform, and slidable; insaid slots; and a hoist mounted onsaid platformsubstantiallycentrally thereof-,- said; hoist: being. retainable medially of the: side: frames, due to. the adjustabilityof: the platform;

FRANCIS M; REISING.

References, Cited. in. the me. of, this. patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS" Brenton= Dec. 7,; 1920 

